In the biggest game of the season for the Boston Celtics, the Big Four took a back seat to the Other One. All of the attention in Boston rightfully goes to Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo. They are the only four players remaining from the team’s last championship in 2008 and comprise perhaps the best quartet in the NBA. They are the reason the Celtics are still in the title hunt when most felt their window of
The Eastern Conference semifinals are interesting. The Western Conference semfinals are not — unless the Lakers make them so tonight. One night after the Clippers were swept out of the second round by the San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers are one game away from losing their series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Lakers will look to extend their season in Game 5 while the Boston Celtics hope to regain control against the Philadelphia 76ers in the two games slated for Monday
// The Los Angeles Lakers are 7 1/2 point underdogs tonight for Game 5 at Oklahoma City, which means Vegas respects them about as much as they respected the Clippers in the past week — not much. Me? I do not dispense gambling advice, and for all I know this will be an epic crash-and-burn night — especially if Pau Gasol goes soft, Kobe Bryant goes cold or Metta World Peace throws the ball to Steve Blake on the final play. But
If you are a fan of either of the Los Angeles teams, you might have had some trouble sleeping through Saturday night. If you predicted that the Clippers (me) or the Lakers (Sheridan) would move past the second round, you probably wish to have those predictions back, as both teams are now on the verge of being eliminated from of the Western Conference semifinals. Before discussing how each team blew their respective chances, it’s time to acknowledge and pay respects to one cold-blooded lanky
My dad likes to turn off the TV when a game is not going the way he wants. He does this all the time with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Green Bay Packers, his teams, and when he is feeling a little extra bold he will keep the game on the screen but mute the sound. Friday night was a lesson in how you don’t want to be like my dad. If you are a Lakers fan, you might have said “I
The Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers have something in common in the conference semifinals this season: Both lost the previous game in devastating manner. Of course, how and why they lost, and how that makes it sting so much, is a whole different story. The 76ers got blown out of their own house quite convincingly. The Lakers, as Andrew Bynum would say, played Santa Claus, gift-wrapped a victory and handed it over to Oklahoma City. Both teams look to recover
The LA Lakers may make a quick second-round exit vs. the Thunder. Is this the last chance for Kobe, Bynum & Gasol to win together? CineSport’s Noah Coslov & Sheridanhoops.com’s Mark Heisler chat. //
Kobe Bryant is more or less known as one of the most clutch performers in the NBA down the stretch of games. On Wednesday night, his late-game antics were the furthest thing possible from clutch. Kevin Durant took the honors instead. The Los Angeles Lakers had the chance to show the basketball world that their series against the Oklahoma City Thunder was about to be renewed. After getting blown out in Game 1 by 29 points, the former champions came out with a sense